Dann's office releases over 2,000 e-mails with worker

COLUMBUS -- Chummy references to drinking, practical jokes and joshing about religion sufaced in e-mails between Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann and his former scheduler.

But missing in the sometimes heavily redacted messages were any clear signs of a romantic link between Dann and 28-year-old Jessica Utovich, whose name surfaced in a sexual harassment scandal that has embroiled Dann*s office in controversy.

The office on Monday released more than 2,000 e-mails between the attorney general and Utovich from September through November 2007. The office said it held back 19 e-mails that involved either a funeral, doctor's appointments for Dann or his children.

Questions arose about Dann's relationship with Utovich after two other female employees filed a sexual harassment complaint against a top manager in Dann's office. In her complaint, one of the women said she saw Utovich one night at Dann*s Columbus apartment wearing pajamas.

Dann has denied having an improper relationship with Utovich, who in January became the office's travel director.

While Dann has admitted Utovich has often been to his Columbus apartment, he insisted it has been for professional reasons and never was she clad in pajamas.

Utovich has not returned repeated calls for comment.

On Oct. 2, a series of friendly e-mails between Utovich and Jennifer Urban -- an attorney in the office -- at one point copies Dann and his Communications Director Leo Jennings III.

At that point the exchange veers into a discussion about Urban's drinking.

"Jack [Daniel's] and I don't play well together. I rough house with the Captain [Morgan]," Urban writes to Utovich, Dann and Jennings.

In another e-mail exchange on Sept. 11, Dann, who is Jewish, jokes with Utovich about a lunch she arranged for him that included ham and bacon on a Jewish holiday.

"Happy rosh hashona," Dann writes to Utovich, who responds by telling him he that he spelled it wrong.

In one November e-mail, Utovich seems to be upset with Dann.

"I wasn't being defensive earlier," she wrote. "It ... me off that you said that. I was explaining what happened. Right now, I really don't care anymore. You don't, why should I? ut don't call me out on things that aren't true."

Other e-mails, due to blacked-out wording, are puzzling and difficult to decipher.

For example, an e-mail in October from Utovich to Dann, says: "Sorry. So, just you and [blacked-out name], right? I didn't wipe that thing by the way."

On Sept. 5, she sends Dann an e-mail apologizing for a practical joke she played on him involving a picture she prominently placed in the office.

"I didn't think it was that big of a deal if no one else saw it from outside the floor. Sorry," she said.

But the majority of those released show Utovich doing her job of juggling Dann's busy schedule in what was his first year of office.

The office continues to investigate the sexual harassment allegations raised by the two women against Anthony Gutierrez, Dann's close friend and director of general services.

Dann, Gutierrez and Jennings -- all married men from Youngstown -- lived together in the Columbus apartment, although Dann has since moved out.

Gutierrez and Jennings are suspended while the probe continues. The investigation is expected to wrap up next week.

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